The Story of a Walker Slayer
by Werewolf-queen-022
Summary: Amber Mead lived a simple life in the zombie apocalypse. Traveling around with her two dogs, killing walkers and saving people. But when a member of Rick's group goes missing she will join them to help look. But will she stick around after the person is found or will she goes back to her drifter like life?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's notes: Hey guys. So I thought I might change the beginning of the story and where it starts. So this is the new version of the story. Hope you guys enjoy it ️ ️**

Daryl Dixon and Rick Grimes both looked down at the walker that they just cut open. Both of them were looking for Carol's daughter Sophia after a couple walkers sending her running into woods.

"This gross bastard had him a woodchuck for lunch." Daryl says.

"At least we know." Rick says, as Daryl stood up.

"Yeah, at least we know." Daryl says, Rick standing up while Daryl picked up his crossbow. Suddenly the two heard the sounds of rustling coming from a nearby bush. The pair quietly creeping over towards it.

Suddenly two German Shorthaired Labradors came jumping out of the bush, one black the other brown and white. The two dogs snarling and growling at the men. Rick pulled out his pistol and Daryl aiming his crossbow.

"Shadow! Banjo! Sit!" They heard a young woman say firmly. Both dogs sitting, they're eyes never leaving Rick and Daryl. Out from the bushes came the woman.

She was 5"4 with jet black hair and bright blue eyes, her skin a light colour. She wore a black shirt, black jeans, black gloves with spikes on them and combat boots. A tan arrow bag tied around her waist, along with a knife. Over her shoulder she carried a crossbow and in her right hand a bat with spikes in it. In her other hand were two chains.

"Sorry about them they can be protective at times. They wouldn't hurt you not unless you gave them a good reason to." The woman says, walking over to the dogs and clipping the chains on.

"Didn't seem like it to me." Daryl says.

"Watch yourself mister I can sic them onto you." The woman says.

"Alright take it easy you two. We've got enough to deal with." Rick says.

"Yep ain't that the truth. Surviving in this world is now becoming a total bitch." The woman says.

"Yes it is. But that's not the only thing for us."

"What do you mean?" The woman asks.

"A little girl in our group has gone missing, you seen her?" Daryl says.

"This girl she would be about 12, blonde hair?Wearing a blue shirt with a rainbow on it?" The woman asks.

"Yes, that's her. Where did you see her?" Rick asks.

"She came running to me. Told me about her group that was on the highway, I started to take her back when we got jumped by 7 walkers. The way to the highway was clear, I pointed in the direction and told her to run like hell. She did while I took care of the walkers. I went to catch up with her, she was gone. Being tracking her since." The woman says.

"Can the dogs track them?" Rick asks.

"They're not good at tracking people more better at tracking animals but it doesn't mean that we haven't tried. So far no luck." The woman says.

"You got a group?" Daryl asks.

"You are looking at it. It's just me and the boys." The woman says. "I can help you guys find her if you want me to." She adds.

"Your dogs wouldn't hurt anyone in the group?" Rick asks.

"Like I said they only hurt people that are a threat to me. They wouldn't never hurt anyone, even though they are hunting dogs. I had a to babysit a four year old once and she was pulling on their ears and tail, they didn't bat an eyelid." The woman says.

"As long as they don't hurt anyone they can come." Rick says.

"It's a deal." The woman says, the two shaking hands.

"You got a name?" Daryl asks.

"Amber, Amber Mead. And you guys are?" Amber says.

"I'm Rick this is Daryl." Rick says.

"Nice to meet you guys." Amber says. "The black dog is Shadow the other Banjo." She says.

"Okay it's starting to get dark we should head back." Daryl says.

"Hang on a second." Amber says dropping the chains. "Stay." She says to the dogs before walking back to the bush and pulling out a duffle bag. She opened it and put the bat into it before zipping it closed again. "Okay let's head back." She says, picking the chains up. The three walking back to the highway.

Out at the highway Carol waited anxiously for Rick and Daryl to return.

"Oh, god, they're back." Glenn says.

"But who the hell have they got them?" Shane asks, looking at Amber. While Rick and Daryl approached the group Amber held back a little.

"You didn't find her?" Carol asks.

"Her trail went cold. We'll pick it up again at first light.

"You can't leave my daughter out there on her own, to spend the night alone in the woods." Carol pleaded.

"Out in the dark's no good. We'd just be tripping ourselves. More people get loss." Daryl explains.

"But's she's 12. She can't be out there on her own. You didn't find anything?" Carol says.

"I know this is hard. But I'm asking you not to panic. We know she was out there." Rick says.

"And we tracked her for awhile. Plus Amber seen her." Daryl says.

"Amber? The person over here?" Carol says.

"Yes come on over Amber." Rick says, Amber lightly pulling on the chains, her and the dogs walking over. Amber reaching over and lightly rubbing Carol's shoulder.

"We'll find your daughter, that's a promise. And when I promise something I never, never, never break it." Amber says.

"We have to make this an organised effort. Daryl knows the woods better than anyone. I've asked him to oversee this." Rick says.

"Is that blood?" Carol asks, looking at Daryl's blood soaked shirt.

"We took down a walker." Rick says.

"Walker? Oh, my god." Carol says softly.

"There was no sign it was ever anywhere near Sophia." Rick says.

"How can you know that?" Andrea asks.

"They cut the son of a bitch open, just to be sure." Amber says.

"How could you just leave her out there to begin with?" Carol asks, slightly angrily. "How could you just leave her?!" She demands, Amber's dogs letting out a low growl. Amber patting them, the dogs calming down.

"Those two walkers were on us. I had to draw them away. It was her best chance." Rick says.

"Sounds like he didn't have much of a choice, Carol." Shane says.

"How was she supposed to find her way back on her own? She's just a child, she's just a child." Carol says.

"It was my only option. The only choice I could make." Rick says.

"I'm sure nobody does." Shane says.

"My little girl got left in the woods." Carol says before breaking down into tears, Lori and Andrea comforting her. Rick looking at the group before walking off. Amber sighing before clipping the chains off Banjo and Shadow. Shadow walking over to Carol and placing his paw on her leg, tilting his head and whimpering a little. Carol lightly patting him.

"They're beautiful dogs. What are their names?" Andrea says, patting Banjo.

"The one you have is Banjo. Shadow is the other one." Amber says.

"Cool names." Carl says.

"Thank you." Amber says.

 **The next day...**

"Everyone take a weapon." Rick says, the group picking a weapon from the arsenal that Carl found yesterday.

"These aren't the kind of weapons we need. What about guns?" Andrea says.

"We've been over that. Daryl, Rick and I are carrying." Shane says. "We can't have people popping off rounds every time a tree rustles."

"It's not the trees I'm worried about." Andrea says.

"Alright let's put this to example." Amber says. "Someone goes bang with their gun and a herd of them happens to be walking by. Well guess what we rung the dinner bell for them." She says.

"Amber's right." Rick says.

"Yeah so you need to accept the fact to you will my be carrying a gun." Amber says.

"You get to tell me shit!" Andrea growls, Banjo and Shadow letting out a growl.

"Whoa lady watch your mouth. There are children present." Amber says, looking down at Carl.

"The idea is to take the creek up about 5 miles, turn around and come back down the other side. Chances are she'll be by the creek. It's her only landmark. With Amber's dogs, if her scent is around they will pick it up." Daryl says.

"Well Daryl actually I was planning to take them to where Rick left Sophia. Carol gave me a spare shirt of her's and use it for them to lock a scent." Amber says. "If you want to take Shadow, he's a bit older then Banjo and a bit easier to control. He'll listen to what you say." She says.

"Alright, we'll take him." Darly says, Amber handing Shadow's chain to Daryl. "Just to let you know, anything happens to him, I will kill you." She says.

"I'll keep note of that." Daryl says.

"You better." Amber says.

"And you will be able to find your way back?" Rick asks.

"Yes, we will or Shadow will find us." Amber says before squatting down onto the ground. "You be a very good boy for these people, wouldn't you Shadow?" She says patting Shadow, Shadow licking her face. "Oh just to let you know he'll pull on the chain if he catches a scent of something. Taught them that so that the barks don't attract walkers." She adds.

"Okay thanks for letting us know." Rick says.

"Please bring her back, if you can." Carol says, Amber rubbing her shoulder.

"I told you yesterday I promise that we would find her. Carol I've never broke my promises before and I don't plan to start doing that because it's the end of the world." Amber says, Carol smiling a little at her.

"You are such a kind person." Carol says, Amber nodding her head.

"Good luck guys." Amber says, before lightly tugging on Banjo's chain, the two walking into the woods.


	2. Chapter 2

"Sniff her out Banjo, sniff her out." Amber says, Banjo's head low on the ground, sniffing around trying to find Sophia scent. The two were doing fine until the trail went cold on them, Banjo losing the scent and Amber losing Sophia's footprints.

"Here, smell this again boy." Amber say, pulling a shirt of Sophia out of her duffle bag, Banjo sniffing at it. Suddenly the sounds of church bells ringing could be heard in the distance. "Come on Banjo, come on." She says running towards where she thought the ringing was coming from.

"Amber!" She heard Rick say.

"You haven't had much luck either?" Amber asks, Daryl handing over Shadow's chain.

"No we heard church bells ringing and thought either someone was ringing them, or you or Sophia." Rick says. Amber looking up and seen that both of her dogs heads were looking in the same direction.

"Dogs must know where I ringing coming from." Amber says, clipping the chains off. "Find it boys." She says, the two dogs running, everyone following them.

The group ran out into a small graveyard, there in the middle of it stood a church.

"That can't be it. Got no steeple, no bells." Shane says, Amber turning around and looking at him.

"Are you questioning my dogs' sense of hearing?" Amber asks, Shane shaking his head. Amber turned out and whistled for the dogs. Banjo and Shadow running back, Amber re clipping the chains back on.

"Come on you guys." Amber says before running over to the church, everyone running after her. The group reached the doors, suddenly Shadow and Banjo started growling and snarling, pulling on the chains hard. "There must be walkers in there." She mutters

Rick and Daryl went to slowly open the door, Amber stopping them.

"Don't I got this." Amber says, quietly. The two men looking at her.

"You sure you can handle this?" Shane asks, Amber turning around.

"Seriously? You are questioning me now?" Amber hisses. "What's next? You will be questioning about my ass?" She asks.

"Shane's right, you sure you can handle this?" Rick says, Amber nodding before loading her crossbow, clipping the chains off her dogs and grabbing them by the collar.

"I'm sure Rick. Now open the doors before I lose an arm." Amber says, the two dogs still pulling hard. Rick and Daryl looking at each other before opening the doors. In the church were three walkers.

"Sic them boys!" Amber yells, letting the two dogs go. Shadow and Banjo making a beeline for the walker that was by itself. Amber raised her crossbow and shot another walker before walking up to the female walker. The walker slowly walked over making moaning noises.

"Shut up!" Amber says before smashing her spiked bat into it's head, the walker falling to the ground. Amber walked over to the one she shot and pulled the arrow out of its head.

"That will do!" Amber says, walking over to the dogs. Both of them walking over Amber. "Damn you boys did a number on him." She says, looking down at the walkers torn neck, guts and legs. The walker raising its arms into the air, trying to reach Amber, snarling at her.

"Can it you fucker." Amber mutter before loading the crossbow and shooting the walker in the head. The arms hit the ground with a flop, Amber walked over and pulled the arrow out, placing the two arrows into her arrow bag.

"Good boys." Amber says, praising her dogs. She looked up and seen the group was looking at her in shock. Amber smirked before swinging the strap of her crossbow over shoulder and clipping the chains back onto her dogs.

"See boys? I ain't no damsel in distress, I can save myself. No knight in shiny armour needs to save me." Amber says before walking out of the church, the two dogs right behind her heels.

"I'll give her credit, that woman has got guts." Daryl says.

"Sophia!" Rick yells, while Daryl walked up to the front of the church.

"Yo J.C, you taking request?" Daryl asks the Jesus statue before walking back to the group.

"I'm telling you it's the wrong church. It's got no steeple Rick. There is no steeple." Shane says. Suddenly they heard the bells ringing again, everyone running out to the side of the church and seeing Amber was bashing a small box with her bat, the ringing stopped.

"It was on a frigging timer." Amber mutters, before walking off.

"I'm gonna go back in for a bit." Carol says before walking back into the church. Daryl walking around to the back of the church and seeing Amber was in part of the graveyard, looking down at a tombstone.

"Hey. You alright?" Daryl asks walking over to Amber.

"Yeah… yeah I'm okay." Amber says.

"You sure?" Daryl asks, Amber nodding.

"Yeah I'm sure." Amber says. "I'm going to head back to the church." She says before quickly walking over. Daryl waiting until she was gone before walking closer to the tombstone and reading it.

 _'Beloved and caring mother, who put her child's life before her own. R.I.P.'_

Amber sighed as she reached the front of the church. She walked over to one of the trees and leaned against the trunk.

"Sit." Amber commanded to the dogs, both of them sitting. Amber dropping their chains to the ground before pulling out a packet of cigarettes out of her pocket. She stuck one in between her teeth before lighting it.

"Ain't you a bit young to be smoking?" Shane asks, walking over to Amber.

"Again with the questions. It's starting to piss me off." Amber says.

"I'm just-" Shane starts to ask, Amber placing the cigarette in between her fingers and pointing her right index finger at Shane.

"Alright mister, I don't question you, you don't question me, plain and simple as that." Amber says, Shane storming off. "Yeah you better run." She mutters.

Awhile later the group rejoined while Shane and Rick talked. Shame walking back over to the other.

"Y'all gonna follow the creek bed back, okay? Daryl, you're in charge. Me and Rick we're just gonna hang back, search this area another hour or so just to be thorough." Shane says.

"You're splitting us up. You sure?" Daryl says.

"Yeah we'll catch up to you." Rick says.

"I want to stay, too. I'm her friend." Carl says, Rick and Shane looking at each other before Rick looked at Lori.

"Just be careful, okay?" Lori says.

"I will." Carl answers.

"When did you start growing up?" Lori asks, hugging Carl. Rick and Lori kissing and hugging before pulling away.

"I'll be along soon enough." Rick says. Amber looking and seeing that Shane and Andrea were giving a look to each other.

'Wonder what's going on there?' Amber thinks to herself.

"Here, take this." Rick says, pulling out his gun and holding it out to Lori. "Remember how to use it?" He asks.

"I'm not taking your gun and leaving you unarmed." Lori says.

"Here, got a spare." Daryl says pulling out a small pistol and walking over to Lori. "Take it." He says, Lori taking it.

"Alright let's hit the road." Amber says, picking the chains up, the group leaving. As soon as they got back into the woods, Shadow and Banjo lowered their heads to the ground, sniffing at the ground.

"They're looking for a scent?" Lori asks.

"Yeah of anything at this rate. Food, walkers or Sophia." Amber says.

"You trained them yourself?" Glenn asks.

"Shadow no, Banjo yes." Amber says. "I got Shadow when he was 3 years old and Banjo as a pup." She adds.

"So this is it? This the whole plan?" Carol asks, sitting on a fallen tree.

"I guess the plan is to whittle us down into smaller and smaller groups." Daryl says, leaning against a tree trunk.

"Carrying knives, pointy sticks and using two dogs." Andrea says.

"Hey! Don't speak about my dogs like that!" Amber growls.

"I see you have a gun." Andrea says, looking at Lori.

"Why, you want it?" Lori asks, pulling the gun.

"Hey Lori pass me that for a sec." Amber says, Lori handing it her. Amber holding it up before throwing the gun away.

"Hey! The hell you do that for?!" Andrea demands.

"Because I'm sick of you acting like a childish brat over a goddamn gun!" Amber say angrily.

"Still you had no right to do that! You are not part of this group!" Andrea says, getting up close to Amber.

"Okay look here blondie. I have this personal bubble and you-" Amber says before shoving Andrea backwards. "-are invading it right now!" She finishes.

"Who the hell do you think you are?!" Andrea demands, Shadow and Banjo starting to growl and snarl.

"I'm that bitch that's gonna fuck your face up if you don't back off!" Amber yells.

"Hey! Hey! That's enough you two!" Daryl shouts, standing between the two women.

"Next time-" Andrea starts to say.

"No next time you want to pick a fight with me I'll do more than shove you!" Amber threatens before walking over to where she threw the gun and putting it into the waist belt of her jeans.

"Now you can give me filthy looks for having the gun instead of Lori." Amber says.

"Just give me the gun." Andrea says, coldly. Amber folding her arms across her chest.

"Nope. And you can try and take it but all I will do is knock your ass down I don't care if I get kicked out." Amber says.

"Do you even know how to use one?" Andrea says.

"I don't know maybe I can test it out, on you." Amber says.

"Amber enough!" Daryl snaps. Amber pulling a face before lightly tugging on the chains, her and the dogs walking off. Then she stopped.

"I have a question." Amber says before turning around.

"What?" Glenn asks.

"Would have you guys done it? Run after Sophia without a second thought in your mind." Amber says.

"Would you?" Andrea asks.

"Fuck yeah I would do it. I wouldn't care if I died for that little girl. And that man that ran after her is doing everything he can to find her now. I know he ain't Superman but even Superman wasn't perfect. So if you think you can do better than he could by all means go right ahead, no-one will stop you." Amber says, before pulling out the gun and tossing to Andrea.

Andrea picking it up and looking at it before walking over to Lori and giving it to her.

"We should keep moving." Andrea says before looking at Amber. Amber narrowing her eyes a little before walking off.

"You're one not hold back what they want to say aren't you?" Daryl asks Amber.

"I don't really give a fuck if I hurt someone's feelings because of what I think." Amber says, Daryl shaking his head a little. That's when the group heard the echoing sounds of a gun.


	3. Chapter 3

Lori looked back, worrying about the gunshot that the group just heard.

"You still worrying about it?" Andrea asks.

"It was a gunshot." Lori says.

"Yeah we all heard it." Daryl says.

"Why one? Why just the one gunshot?" Lori asks.

"Lori it could have been many things, they could have taken down a walker or shot a buck. There's some in these woods." Amber says.

"Please, Amber, don't patronise me. You know they wouldn't risk a gunshot for a walker or a buck." Lori says.

"Alright fine, I'll go back and have a look." Amber says.

"Amber no. You are not going to chase echos in the woods." Daryl says, Amber looking at him.

"Oh yeah and you are going to stop me?" Amber asks.

"Don't, you are staying with us, the group is already split up." Daryl says, Amber sighing and walking back over.

"Fine I'll stay here." Amber mutters.

"So what do we do?" Lori asks.

"Same as we've been. Beat the bush for Sophia, work our way back to the highway." Daryl says.

"I'm sure they'll hook up with us back at the RV." Andrea says.

"If they're not back when the sun goes down, I'll go after them. And no one will stop me." Amber says, looking at Daryl as she said the last part. Andrea looked over at Carol.

"I'm sorry for what you're going through. I know how you feel." Andrea says.

"I suppose you do, thank you. The thought of her, out her by herself. It's the both knowing that's killing me. I just hoping and praying she doesn't wind up like Amy." Carol says. "Oh, god! That's the worst thing I ever said." She says, noticing that Andre's facial expression changed, Andrea shook her head.

"We're all hoping and praying with you, for what's it's worth." Andrea says.

"I'm not hoping and praying, look at where that shit got me." Amber says. "That hoping and praying ain't worth a damn thing." She adds before walking off, the group following her.

"We'll lose the light before too long. I think we should call it." Daryl says.

"I can stay out a bit longer." Amber says.

"No you are staying with the rest of us." Daryl says, Amber pulling a small face.

"We'll pick it up again tomorrow?" Carol asks, Lori look over at her.

"Yeah we'll find her tomorrow." Lori says, Amber walking over to a tree and craving an X into it.

"At least we know where we left off." Amber says before the group walked off.

"How much farther?" Andrea asks, after a while.

"Not much." Daryl replied. "Maybe 100 yards as the crow flies." He says.

"Too bad we're not crows." Andrea mutters. "As a crow flies my ass." She adds, Amber looking at her.

"Andrea move!" Amber yells, Andrea looking at the walker before letting out a scream. Amber letting go of the chains before running over and shoving Andrea out of the way before shoving the walker backwards, her dogs barking loudly.

"Sit!" Amber yells, the dogs sitting and becoming quite.

"Andrea? Amber?" They heard Lori call out. Amber pulling out her knife before stabbing the walker in the chest before kicking it, knocking it back. Amber running to her bat and picking it up.

"No! No!" Andrea yells, Amber seeing that Andrea had tripped over a root. She ran over and locking the bat around the walker's neck and dragging it back from Andrea as the rest of the group ran over. Amber smashing her bat into the walker's head before it dropped to the ground.

"You alright?" Amber asks, after walking over to Andrea. Andrea nodding her head a look of terror in her eyes. Amber helping the woman up to her feet.

"You saved me." Andrea says quietly.

"It's was nothing. At the end of the day it doesn't matter if we fought, I will still save you." Amber says, Andrea smiling a little as Amber lightly rubbed her shoulder before the group heard the sounds of hooves coming their way. Amber's dogs snapping their heads up.

Then came a woman on a horse, Amber loading her bow and aiming it at her.

"Lori? Lori Grimes?" The woman asks. "Whoa." She says pulling lightly on the reins, the horse coming to a halt.

"I'm Lori." Lori says.

"Rick sent me. You got to come now." The woman says.

"What?" Lori asks.

"There's been an accident. Carl's been shot." The woman says. "He's still alive but you gotta come now. Rick needs you! Just come!" The woman says, Lori walking over.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Daryl says. "We don't know this girl. You can't get on on that horse." He says pointing over to the woman.

"Rick said you had others on the highway, that big traffic snarl?" The woman says.

"Yes, that's right." Amber says.

"Backtrack to Fairburn road. Two miles down is our farm. You'll see the mailbox. Name's Greene." The woman says before urging the horse to move. The women disappearing. Then came the sounds of the walker as it sits upright.

"Shut up." Daryl says before shooting an arrow into its head.

"Let's move out." Amber says, picking the chains up before her and Daryl walked off, the others following them.

"Did you find her?" Dale asks when they returned.

"Nope and Carl has been shot." Amber says.

"Shot? What do you mean shot?" Dale asks.

"I don't know Dale. I wasn't there." Glenn says, everyone climbing over the barrier and Amber letting her dogs off their chains. "All I know is this chick rode out of nowhere like Zorro on a horse and took Lori."

"You let her?" Dale asks.

"Climbed out of my asshole man. Rick sent her. She knew Lori's name and Carl's." Daryl says.

"I heard screams. Was that you?" Dale asks, looking at Andrea, as she walked over to the RV.

"She got attacked by a walker. It was a close call, Amber saved her." Glenn says.

"Amber." Dale says, Amber turning around and looking at him. "Thank you." He says, Amber bowing her head.

"Andrea, are you sure that you are okay?" Amber asks, Andrea looking at her before walking into the RV and slamming the door shut.

Amber just sighed and picked up duffle bag, whistled at the dogs before heading over to car to camp at. Amber dumping her stuff before walking to where T-Dog was sitting.

"Hey T-Dog how are you holding up?" Amber asks, sitting next to him.

"I feel like shit. It really, really hurts." T-Dog says, Amber sighing.

"Let me see the cut." Amber says, before lightly holding out T-Dog's arm before pulling out her knife.

"Hey, hey! What the hell you doing?!" T-Dog exclaims.

"I'm just cutting the tape so I can get a better look. Just hang on to my hand." Amber says, lightly holding T-Dog's hand before cutting the tape and slowly lifting away the bandage.

"Oh." Amber whines looking down the cut.

"It's bad right?" T-Dog asks.

"Okay I'm going to get a clean bandage and tape it back together okay?" Amber says.

"Am I going to die?" T-Dog asks.

"No I'm not allowing that to happen. Just put this one on for now and hold it here-" Amber says, placing the bandage back on, T-Dog groaning in pain.

"Don't… don't touch it." T-Dog says, Amber lightly stroking her hand down the side of his face.

"I'm sorry. Just keep your arm like that while I get a clean bandage." Amber says, T-Dog nodding. Amber walking over to her duffle bag and pulling out a clean bandage and some tape.

"Okay you are not going to like this but I have to touch it." Amber says after returning.

"No, please don't touch it." T-Dog says, Amber lightly cupping his chin into her hand.

"Okay T-Dog, I know you don't want me to touch it but I need to put this clean on. I promise that I'll be gentle as possible." Amber says, T-Dog nodding. Amber lifting the old bandage away.

"Okay don't think about it, just keep your eyes on me and I'll do the magic." Amber says before gently placing the new bandage on the wound, T-Dog groaning in pain. Amber using her free hand to rub T-Dog shoulder while she taped with her other hand, T-Dog groaning in pain the whole time.

"Okay it's done." Amber says.

"Thank you." T-Dog says, Amber lightly kissing his forehead.

"It's okay." Amber says. "I'm just going to talk to the others but I'll be back okay?" T-Dog nodding. Amber stood up and walk over to Dale

"What's up?" Dale asks.

"We need to talk about T-Dog we need to do something, it's one hell of an infection that he's got." Amber says.

"I'll get the others." Dale says before walking over to where Glenn and Carol were, while Amber walked into RV.

"Andrea?" Amber asks, softly.

"What?!" Andrea demands.

"We're having a group meeting, it's about T-Dog."

Amber says.

"He's getting worse?" Andrea asks.

"Yes I just tried to put a clean bandage on it and it's not looking good. We need to figure out what to do." Amber says.

"Okay." Andrea says the two leaving the RV.

"We need to get him to that farm." Amber says.

"I wouldn't do it. We can't just leave." Carol says.

"Carol, the group is split. We're scattered and weak." Dale says.

"What if she comes back and we're not here?" Carol asks. "It can happen."

"If Sophia found her way back and we were gone, that would awful." Andrea says.

"I know it would be awful but it's awful to be keeping T-Dog here." Amber says.

"Okay. We gotta plan for this. I say tomorrow morning is soon enough to pull the stakes." Daryl says.

"We can make a big sign, leave her some supplies. Come and check it every morning and night." Amber says. "I'll hold here for tonight, keep an eyes on the supplies you never know if other survivors can come and knock our stuff off." She adds.

"I'll stay as well." Daryl says.

"If the RV is staying, I am, too." Dale says.

"Thank you. Thank you three." Carol says.

"I'm in." Andrea says.

"Well if you're all staying then I'm-" Glenn says.

"Not you Glenn. You're going to take Carol's Cherokee. Get T-Dog to the farm." Amber says.

"Me? Why is it always me?" Glenn asks.

"You have to find this farm reconnect with our people and see what's going on. But important, you have to get him there. This is not an option." Dale says.

"Dale's right. That cut has gone from bad to worse, it's one hell of a blood infection. Get him to that farm. See if they have any antibiotics. Because if not, T-Dog will die, not joke. And I ain't having that happen on my watch." Amber says, Daryl walking over to his brother motorcycle. Daryl picking up an oily rag and pulling out a bag of drugs.

"Keep your oily rags off my brother's motorcycle." Daryl says, throwing the rag at Dale and putting the bag into the hood of a car. "Why'd you wait till now to say something. Got my brother's stash. Crystal, X… don't need that. Got some kickass painkiller." He says tossing the small bottle to Glenn.

"Doxycycline." Daryl adds, pulling out another small bottle and tossing it to Dale. "Not the generic stuff neither. It's first class. Merle got the clap on occasion." He says before taking the bag back to the motorcycle.

"Okay I'll get T-Dog, Glenn start the car." Amber says before walking to T-Dog.

"Hey T-Dog." Amber says. "Glenn is going to take to a farm. There will be hell there, Daryl has given him some kickass painkilllers and some Doxycycline." She says before helping T-Dog up and helped him walked to the car.

"We'll be there shortly you guys." Amber says before Glenn drove off.

 **Later that night...**

Daryl laid on the floor of the RV, Andrea sitting up at the table while Carol laid on the bed. He thoughts we're going to to Amber who didn't want to sleep in the RV. Instead the woman chose to stay out by a car, her two dogs by her side. Daryl listened to the sounds of Carol crying and Andrea taking guns apart and putting them together. He sighed before standing up and picking up his crossbow.

"I need my clip now." He says to Andrea. She handed it to him. "I'm gonna walk the road, look for the girl." He says before looking back at Carol. She looked up at him, wiping her tears away. Daryl nodded his head at her, Andrea standing up.

"I'll come with you." She says.

"No you stay with Carol, I'll get Amber." Daryl says.

"She could be sleeping." Andrea says, Daryl looking out to the vehicle that Amber claimed, seeing that she was sitting on the trunk, smoking and sharpening an axe.

"No she's awake." Daryl says before grabbing a couple torches and walking out, over to Amber. As he got closer he could hear her humming a song.

"Can't sleep?" Amber asks, taking the cigarette out of mouth and blowing a puff of smoke.

"No I'm gonna walk the road, look for the girl." Daryl says, Amber twisting the cigarette butt out before flicking it to the ground.

"I'll come with you." Amber says before climbing off the trunk and picking up her crossbow.

"You gonna bring the dogs?" Daryl asks, looking down and seen Shadow and Banjo had woken up and were watching Amber.

"Yeah." Amber says before clipping their chains on and tying the arrow bag around her waist.

"We're going for a walk. Shine some light in the forest." Daryl says, turning the torches on and handing one to Amber. "If she's out there, give her something to look at."

"You think that's a good idea right now?" Dale asks.

"Dale." Amber says. Dale sighing before standing up and turning a torch on.

"Alright, let's go." Daryl says, the two walking off.


	4. Chapter 4

"Hey, you really think we're gonna find Sophia?" Amber asks as her and Daryl walked along in the woods.

"You got that look on your face, same as everyone else." Daryl says, shining the torch light ahead.

"Well I did promise Carol that her daughter would be found. Just because shit has hit the fan doesn't mean I can start breaking promises." Amber says.

"Amber, I know you have you me thing about saving people but you can't save everyone." Daryl says.

"Doesn't mean that I can't try. Carol shouldn't have to suffer like this. I don't want her to go through with what I had to." Amber says.

"Does this have to do with that gravestone you were looking at before?" Daryl asks, Amber stopping and looking at him.

"I don't want to talk about it." Amber says.

"Was your mom a walker?" Daryl asks, Amber grabbing him by the shirt and pulled him closer to her.

"I don't want to talk about! Do I make myself loud and clear?!" Amber demands, Daryl nodding. Amber let go of his shirt before walking off.

"Amber." Daryl says, Amber turning and facing him.

"What?" Amber asks.

"I know you don't want to talk about it. But whatever happened it wasn't because of you." Daryl says.

"I promised her we would never be separate. Hell I even ran off into the woods when I was 13 because some foster centre wanted to take me away from her. And I broke that promise and I paid for that shit." Amber says before she kept walking.

"Wait you ran into the woods because of a foster care centre came for you?" Daryl asks.

"Yep, I lived out there for a good 15 days before they gave up and I was able to go back to my shitty trailer." Amber says. "You ever got lost in woods or ran in there to escape?"

"I got lost once. Nine days of eating berries, wiping my ass with poison oak. My old man was off on a bender with some waitress. My brother, Merle, was doing another stint in juvie. Didn't even know that I was gone, I made my way back though. Went straight into the kitchen and myself a sandwich. No worse for wear, except my ass itched something awful." Daryl says, Amber letting out a small chuckle.

"Well sounds quite of an adventure for you." Amber says.

"Yeah I guess it was." Daryl says, the two started to walk again. "Only difference is Sophia's got people looking for her. I call that an advantage."

"Yeah people that actually care about her." Amber says before the two dogs started to pull hard on their chains, growling and snarling.

"Walker." Amber mutters, Daryl loading his crossbow. Amber shining the torch around before they heard the sounds of walker moaning and rustling sound. The pair following the sounds before coming to a camp site.

"What they hell?" Daryl asks.

"Read my mind." Amber says, the two looking up at the hanging walker, the flesh on its legs gone. The dogs still pulling on their chains growling and snarling. "Settle down." The dogs doing so. Daryl stepped closer to read a note that was pinned into the tree.

"Got bit. Fever hit. World gone to shit. Might as well quit." Daryl says.

"The dumb fuck didn't even know that he had to make a bullet his last meal." Amber says stepping closer.

"Yep, turned himself into a big swinging piece of bait and a mess. This is gotta be the closest he's been to food since he turned. Look at him, hanging up there like a big piñata. The other geeks came and ate all the flesh off his legs." Daryl says.

"Well they've got to eat just like us. They're running out of living things to eat so they must be moving onto each other." Amber says. "Maybe with a bit of luck they'll eat each other and then no more walkers."

"You seriously think that?" Daryl asks.

"Yep I sure do." Amber says, Daryl shaking his head a little.

"Let's head back." Daryl says.

"We're just gonna leave him to hang?" Amber asks.

"He ain't hurtin' nobody, just let him hang." Daryl says.

"Alright let's head on back." Amber says, picking up the two chains, the two leaving.

"I have a question." Daryl says.

"Shoot go right ahead." Amber says.

"We have plenty of room in the RV why not camp in with us? Why sleep at a car?" Daryl asks.

"I don't want to get too attached to you guys." Amber says.

"Why?" Daryl asks.

"Because when find this girl I'll be moving on. Living on the road again." Amber says.

"Wait you going to leave?" Daryl asks.

"Is there a issue with that?" Amber asks.

"It's becoming too dangerous to be traveling on your own. What are you going to do if you stumble upon a herd of walkers?" Daryl says.

"Look, Daryl, I know you are trying to be helpful and all, but it's my choice." Amber says.

"So you are choosing death over safety." Daryl says.

"No I'm choosing to be on my own. That's just me for you." Amber says before they get back on the highway.

"Why?" Daryl asks.

"Okay, enough with the twenty questions! It's my choice to leave and if you want to try to stop me go ahead. But trust my word it ain't going to be pretty!" Amber snaps, Daryl deciding to back off. The two reaching the RV, Amber walking back over to the car, Daryl watching her before sighing and going back into the RV.


	5. Chapter 5

Amber woke up as the sun rose up. The young woman stood up from under the tree she set camp up at, yawning and stretching. She pulled out a small black brush out of her duffle bag and brushed her hair. After tossing it into the bag she walked over to where her two dogs were chained up and unclipped them.

"Go, run boys." Amber says, the two dogs bolting off to the field to run around.

It's been two days since the rest of the group arrived at Hershel's farm. Carl survived the gunshot wound and was starting to get better. But Amber couldn't help but think Shane was lying about Otis' death. He's claiming that Otis sacrificed himself, everyone else seem to buy it but Amber can't shake a feeling off about. She looked up and see that her two dogs were down near the barn, growling at it. Amber walked over and whistled for them to come back.

"Calm down there's no walkers in there." Amber says the dogs reluctantly walking away from the barn. When she got back the camp everyone was starting to wake up.

"Morning." Dale says as Amber walked back.

"Morning." Amber says.

"Amber you know that there's plenty of room in the RV and tents. You don't have to sleep under that tree." Dale says, Amber shaking her head.

"No I'm fine, I don't want to disturb the group." Amber says.

"You wouldn't be disturbing us, I mean you'll going to staying with us." Dale says.

"I'm fine Dale but thanks for offering." Amber says, she looked down at her dogs. "I should get ready to go and look for the girl."

"Okay not a problem." Dale says before walking towards the RV. Amber sighed to herself a little before walking back towards her camp tree. She reached up to one of the lower branches and pulled down her arrow bag and clipped it around her waist. That's when she heard footsteps coming towards her. She spun around as quick as lightning and was face to face with Daryl.

"You heading out there?" Daryl asks.

"Yes but it just going to me today. I'm going to keep the dogs here, I think they deserve the day off." Amber says, pulling her hunting knife out of the tree and sticking it between the arrow bag strap and her jeans.

"Will they stay if they're told to?" Daryl asks.

"Nope, I'll have to chain them up probably a good thing." Amber says.

"What's that mean?" Daryl asks.

"This morning I let them off and they went towards the barn and started to go a bit crazy, like they could smell a walker." Amber says.

"Well since you are going off on your own, do you want to come with me? I'm thinking of taking a horse out." Daryl says.

"Meh why not? I'll come, but I'll drive. I got a little bit of experience riding horses." Amber says.

"Fine with me." Daryl says, Amber looking over and seeing Carol was starting to hang washing out by herself.

"I'm going to give Carol a hand before we have to go." Amber says before putting the dogs back on the chains. She picked her crossbow up from against the tree.

"Alright." Daryl says before Amber walked over to Carol. "Carol let me give you hand with that." She says placing the crossbow onto the ground and started to hang the washing out.

"Thanks Amber. Lori must be still sleeping but I don't want to wake her." Carol says. "And you look like you need rest and a lot of it." She says looking at the dark circles under Amber's eyes.

"I'm fine, I can't sleep because of the end of the world." Amber says.

"I know but maybe you can sleep better now that you're part of a group." Carol says, Amber sighing a little.

"I'll try to sleep better." Amber says Carol smiling.

"Thank you Amber." Carol says.

"For what? For trying to sleep better at night?" Amber asks.

"Thank you for helping my little girl when you could." Carol says, Amber sighing a little.

"I promise Carol we will find her and you will hold her in your arms again." Amber says as Lori walked over.

"I can't believe I slept in." She mutters

"You must have really needed it." Carol says, as Lori started to pull clothes out of the basket and put them over her shoulder.

"You feeling okay?" Amber asks.

"Next time, wake me, alright? Especially on laundry day." Lori says.

"I can manage, Amber has being helping me." Carol says. "I had an idea I want to run by you two." She says.

"What's that?" Lori asks.

"Well, that big kitchen of theirs got me thinking. I wouldn't mind cooking in a real kitchen again. Maybe we all pitch in and cook dinner for Hershel and his family tonight. Kind of looking at things to keep my mind occupied." Carol explains, Amber lightly reaching over and hugging her.

"I think it's a good idea. If I'm back early, I'll come and help get it ready." Amber says, Carol smiling at her.

"Well, after everything they have done, it seem like the least we can do." Lori agrees.

"Do you mind extended the invitation?" Carol asks Lori, Lori looking confused at her as she went to grab more washing."It just feels more right coming from you."

"How so?" Lori asks.

"You're Rick's wife. It sort of makes you our unofficial first lady." Carol explains.

"Morning guys. Let's get going, we've got a lot of ground to cover." Rick calls out.

"And that's my cue." Amber says, picking her crossbow up. "See you later Carol and First Lady." She says before walking over towards Rick, Lori turning red as she was called First Lady.

Amber smirks to herself as she walks over to where Shane, Rick, T-Dog, Andrea and Daryl were. She stood next to T-Dog as Rick unrolled a map.

"Alright, everyone's getting new search grids today. If she made it as far as the farmhouse Daryl found, she might have gone further east than we've been so far." Rick explains.

"I'd like to help." Jimmy buts in, walking over to them. "I know the area pretty well and stuff." He says.

"Hershel's okay with this?" Rick asks.

"Yeah, yeah. He said I should ask you." Jimmy says.

"Alright then, thanks." Rick says.

"Nothing about what Daryl found screams Sophia to me. Anyone can have been holed up in that farmhouse." Shane says, Amber rolling her eyes. She was starting get annoyed whenever Shane started to talk.

"Anyone includes her, jackass." Amber snaps, Shane giving her a dirty look.

"Well, whoever slept in that cupboard was no bigger than yay high." Daryl says, sticking his hand out to just below his chest.

"See? It could have been her." Amber sneers at Shane.

"Maybe we'll pick up her trail again." Rick buts in, wanting to stop the two before any fighting started.

"No maybe about it. I'm gonna borrow a horse, head up to this ridge right here-" Daryl says, pointing to a ridge on the map, "-take a bird's eye view of the whole grid. If she's up there, I'll spot her." Daryl says.

"I'll come with you. Two sets of eyes is better than one." Amber says.

"Good idea Amber, maybe you'll see his chupacabra up there." T-Dog says.

"Chupacabra?" Rick asks.

"Haven't you heard?" Dale asks, putting the gun bag onto the front of the car and opens it. "Our first night in camp, Daryl tells us that the whole thing remains him or a time he went squirrel hunting and he saw a chupacabra." Dale explains, Jimmy scoffs.

"What are you braying at jackass?" Daryl asks.

"So you believe in a blood-sucking dog?" Jimmy asks.

"You believe in dead people walking around?" Daryl retorts back, Amber shaking her head. Jimmy reaching out for one of the rifles and Amber grabbed onto his wrist and pulled his hand back.

"Question, ever fired one before?" Amber asks.

"Well, if I'm going out, I want one." Jimmy says.

"Yeah and people in hell want Slurpees." Daryl says, swinging his crossbow over his shoulder. "Let's go Amber." He says, Amber releasing her grip onto Jimmy's wrist before following Daryl.

"Hey, maybe we can share spooky stories while we ride along to the ridge." Amber suggest, Daryl not responding.

"Oh come on, lighten up a little." She says.

"What? You seen one as one?" Daryl asks.

"Think I did but I'm from the swamps of Louisiana. We've always got scary stories." Amber says, Daryl chucking a little as the two fell into silence as they kept walking to the stables.

Daryl knew that Amber was still set on leaving once Sophia was found, but maybe, just maybe there was now a slight chance of her staying. All he had to do was keep pushing, but not too hard.


End file.
